Underwriting agency Fusion Specialty has promoted Sydney-based Katherine Simmonds to the role of International CEO, and Michael Federer to North America CEO. 

Fusion, part of the Pop Holdings Group, was established in 2018 and provides cover mainly aimed at SMEs. 

Ms Simmonds joined Fusion in October 2021 as managing partner and has spearheaded the growth of the business in the M&A insurance markets across Australia, New Zealand and Asia.  

She was formerly Gallagher head of corporate and WTW head of corporate, risk & broking. In her new role, she will further develop Fusion’s presence in the APAC, UK and EMEA regions, including M&A, financial lines and other specialist insurance products. 

Group co-CEO and co-Founder Killian McDermott says the new management team is “ideally positioned to fill the M&A and specialty insurance risk protection gap in the global small to mid-market segments and to drive the digitisation of specialty insurance globally”. 

Fusion says it has underwritten more SME deals than any other insurer across the APAC region since 2019. It has offices in Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, the UK, Germany, Spain and the US.